


Recrimination & Reconcilliation

by Sandyclaws68



Series: Grieving Process [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Friends to. . ., Friendship, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 16:56:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15005276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandyclaws68/pseuds/Sandyclaws68
Summary: With their relationship looking like a splintered wreck Keith and Pidge work to repair the cracks.





	Recrimination & Reconcilliation

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Five Stages of Grief](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12994617) by [Sandyclaws68](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandyclaws68/pseuds/Sandyclaws68). 



Allura was adamant that the first thing to be done after the new crystal was installed on the bridge was getting Lance into a healing pod.  They all gathered in the medical bay, Hunk looking nervous and worried about his friend. It didn't take Coran long to get the pod programmed and up and running, causing everyone to sigh in relief.

“It'll be at least a quintant, maybe longer, before he's well enough to come out,” Coran commented as the last gasp of the pod's seal sounded in the room.  “I'd rather not take any chances, all things considered.”

“Agreed,” Shiro acknowledged the Altean with a nod before turning to the rest of the team.  “I would suggest a good night's sleep for everyone. After all of the excitement it could only be beneficial.”

Hunk barely hesitated; with one last glance at Lance's pod he left the room, yawning, but stopped near Pidge.  “Good job on that fuel booster,” he complimented her with a smile. “It really saved us on the Balmera.”

Pidge didn't respond beyond a half-hearted nod and a pat on Hunk's arm.  As soon as the Yellow Paladin was out of the room she took a deep breath, knowing that a certain unpleasantness could no longer be avoided.

But Keith had already left the room, slipping out in Shiro's wake.  She hung back for a moment, uncertain.

“Problem, Number five?”

She managed to avoid starting at Coran's question, but it was a close thing.  She turned to look his way, a hesitant smile crossing her lips. “No, no problem.  Guess I just zoned out a little. Shiro's right; a decent night's rest will do all of us a world of good.”

Coran nodded, making a final few adjustments to the pod's controls.  “I hope we can all get that,” he said. “I'm a little too concerned about how badly that Galra crystal may have contaminated our systems; I'm not even sure if I should leave the med bay while Lance is here.”

Pidge glanced at the pod, feeling a chill creep up her spine.  “He'll be okay, won't he?” Her teeth dug into her bottom lip. “I mean. . .”  The words trailed off as she pushed up her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose.  “Do you need help?” she asked instead. “I can maybe rig some sort of anti-virus program to scan the Castle's systems and find any problems the other crystal might have caused.”

“No, no, you get some rest; there’s no need for you to hang around here” Coran replied, putting a hand on her shoulder and steering her towards the door.  He stopped after just a few steps, though, moving so he could look directly in her eyes. “Unless. . . you’re avoiding something else. Or someone else.”

Pidge started to shake her head, but the scoffing sound died in her throat as tears welled in her eyes.  Coran, all sympathy, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her to sit on the floor beside Lance’s pod.  “Tell me what’s bothering you,” he whispered, the tone of command in his voice unmistakeable.

“I’m fine,” she managed to say in a break between sniffles.  “Just tired. It’s been a long couple of days.” She laughed, and the sound had a definite edge of hysteria to it.  “But it was barely even one day, right?”

Coran nodded, squeezing her gently against his side.  “I’m not saying that exhaustion isn’t a part of this,” he commented, voice soft, “but it isn’t everything.  There’s something else going on, and it’s causing tension between you and Keith.”

Pidge jerked in his hold, trying to pull away, but Coran held fast.  After a brief moment of futile struggle she gave up and leaned back in, face pressed to his shoulder as she cried.  It felt like it had been ages since she was held like this, with fatherly affection and respect, and she surrendered to it, letting every negative emotion drain out of her in tears that soaked the fabric of Coran’s jacket.

When the sobs trailed off to a few gulping hiccups she shifted in her seat, pulling slowly away and exchanging a smile with her companion.  Coran reached out and gently removed her glasses, taking a moment to clean the lenses before giving them back, along with his handkerchief so she could wipe her eyes and blow her nose.  When that was done he gave her a an almost-glare. “Now talk.”

And with a weak chuckle Pidge did.  She spilled the entire story of the Kerberos mission and her hacking into the Garrison’s computers with Keith’s help.  How she had gotten caught and blackballed from the school, until her mother’s plan to get her accepted as Pidge Gunderson.  She didn’t even hesitate to tell him the story, even though it meant revealing her greatest secret.

“And I thought he, of all people, would understand why I wanted to leave!  He left the Garrison because of his need to find Shiro, so me wanting to follow leads on Matt and my dad should have made perfect sense to him, but he -”  She sucked in a breath, determined not to start crying again. “He acted like I was abandoning the team for no reason, like I didn’t care about all of you!  But it’s my father and brother, and I can’t -” That last word was forced out past the clog of tears in her throat. “I can’t just stop, you know?”

Coran held her close for another long moment before drawing away, pushing the hair away from her face with a gentle hand.  “No one is asking you to stop, but you need to understand that you don’t have to do this alone anymore. We’re a team, and that means a team in everything.  You have more resources than you know, so make use of them.” He got to his feet and reached a hand down to help Pidge rise as well. “And now I would recommend some sleep before you try and repair your relationship with Keith.”

Pidge nodded and started to move towards the medical bay’s doors, tiredness dogging her every footstep.  She turned back to Coran at the last moment, just as the door slid open. “You. . . You won’t tell anyone about. . . well, you know.  Will you?”

“It’s not for me to tell,” Coran quietly responded.  “I think the team deserves to know, however, but that’s your decision to make.”  He smiled at her before turning back to the pod Lance rested in. “I hope you make the right one.”

****~**~**~**~**~****

Pidge left the medical bay with every intention of following Coran’s advice to get some sleep before trying to talk to Keith, but as was usual in these situations life, or fate, or something, conspired against those intentions.  When she turned the corner to the corridor that their quarters were off of a shape moved in the shadows at the far end, resolving itself into Keith as soon as it stepped into the light. She froze, contemplating simply turning and walking away, when his soft voice reached her.

“We should talk.”

With a barely stifled sigh Pidge keyed open the door to her quarters, gesturing for him to enter.  “We may as well be comfortable,” she commented. The  _ Because this conversation probably won’t be _ went unsaid.  Despite her words she moved to sit in the most uncomfortable chair in the room, only stopping at the touch of Keith’s hand on her elbow.

“Sit beside me, please,” he said, lowering himself to a seat on the small sofa.  “I don’t want this conversation to be any louder than it needs to be.”

Pidge nodded, even though she really didn’t understand, and sank on to the cushion beside Keith.  “I don’t know why you’re worried,” she commented, careful to keep her voice quiet. “It’s not like Lance will be able to overhear anything at the moment.”

Keith’s smile may have been small, but it was also warm,  and Pidge felt herself begin to relax at the sight. But she couldn’t banish the words he had spoken from her mind; they just kept replaying.

_ You’re not the only one with a family.  All these Arusians have families; everyone in the universe has families! _

_ You’re putting the lives of two people ahead of everyone else in the galaxy! _

“I’m sorry,” they both stated in unison, surprised faces lifting and eyes meeting.  Pidge gestured for Keith to go first, settling back against the sofa. He grimaced and rose to his feet to pace the room, either uncomfortable in her quarters or trying to decide what to say, she really couldn’t tell.  Finally, after who knew how lengthy of an awkward silence he flopped on the sofa beside her.

“I feel like such a jackass,” he began in a whisper, pushing a hand through his hair.  “As if somebody like me, who has never known a ‘normal’ family life, has a right to lecture you about this.”  He sat up straight to meet her gaze. “I’m sorry, Katie. I am so, so, soooooo sorry.”

Pidge almost cried at the use of her true name; it had been so long since she had heard it.  But Keith was hurting at that moment, blaming himself and drowning in self-recrimination, so she did what her instincts told her to do: took one of his hands between both of hers and squeezed.  “It’s okay,” she said rubbing the back of his hand soothingly. “I’m sorry too. I know, better than anyone, how the loss of what family you did know affected you and I still -” She swallowed hard, bowing her head and blinking against tears.  “I still destroyed whatever sense of family you might have had.”

A quiet chuckle had her lifting her gaze to see a genuine smile on Keith’s face.  “You tried,” he commented as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.  “You didn’t quite succeed.”

“Maybe I should thank Sendak for stopping me,” Pidge replied, lips twitching as she fought the urge to grin.  Then she quickly sobered. “Even if it cost me Rover.”

“Yeah, that’s another thing that I feel like I need to apologize for.”

“NO!  Why would you think that?” Pidge almost shouted.  “What happened to Rover had nothing to do with our. . . disagreement.  Without that sacrifice we would never have been able to save the Castle, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”  She pulled away from Keith’s grasp and gently took hold of his chin and tilted his head, making sure their eyes met.  “Honestly.”

His expression was still doubtful but Keith nodded, sighing with enough force to set his hair fluttering.  Pidge settled back into her former position, comfortably tucked against his warmth and with her head on his shoulder.  They sat like that for a long moment, simply absorbing each other’s presence and the feeling of safety after a grueling day.  Pidge felt sleep overtaking her when Keith coughed lightly.

“I was thinking that you might want to - you know - tell the rest of the crew the truth,” he whispered.  “About you being a girl and all.” His arm around her shoulder tightened. “I think they deserve that much, at least.”

“I may not have much of a choice,” Pidge replied with a distinct snort.  “I kind of, well, spilled all of the beans to Coran when you wouldn’t even look at me before leaving the medical bay.”  She didn’t mention the agonized tears that had accompanied her talk with the Altean, but had a feeling Keith knew, based on the raised eyebrow glance he sent her way.  “I was upset, okay? I didn’t want to think that I had completely destroyed our -”

“Our. . .?”

Pidge sat up a little straighter, putting enough distance between them so her punch to his upper arm would actually hurt.  “Friendship, you dumbass! Don’t you think that’s what we are?”

Keith laughed and made a show of rubbing the spot she had punched.  “Friends? I’m not sure if we’ve progressed that far. Partners in crime, definitely, though.  I mean, hacking into classified files, getting kicked out of the Garrison -”

“Technically you were the only one who got kicked out.”

“- stealing Shiro out from under their noses -”

“- blowing things up along the way -”

“And look at where it’s landed us!” Keith concluded as they shared a grin.

“We’re still partners,” Pidge commented, holding up a fisted hand.  “Sword and shield, right?”

“Right.”  Their fists bumped before they both leaned back into the depths of the sofa, bodies falling together naturally.  There was silence for a long moment, then Keith spoke again.

“You know, if there was, like, maybe the possibility of something more I wouldn’t say no.”

“Something more?”

“Well, yeah.  I mean it wouldn’t be a bad thing, would it?  Maybe?”

“Maybe,” Pidge replied with a smile, slipping her hand in his as she spoke.

**Author's Note:**

> There will be a third story in this continuity, mainly because after Season 6 I am consumed with the idea of Pidge having a "chat" with Krolia. :D


End file.
